I was lucky to witness the first ever Philippine Barista Championship by Starbucks at the Colegio de San Agustin Auditorium in Makati just a few days ago. Before it used to be the Starbucks Coffee Ambassadors Cup held every two years but now with the Philippine Barista Championship, they're doing it every year. The competition is Starbucks way of highlighting their beloved partners. It is also a way to celebrate and recognize the artistry and craftsmanship of its baristas.

From 300 Global Coffee Masters, a series of elimination rounds were held. 12 stood out and competed for the semi-finals and was trimmed down to 6 Starbucks Global Coffee Masters for the finals. During the championship round, the finalists Emmanoel Bagan, Rafael Bautista, Camille Cuyugan, Carmina Fernandez, Ana Mendoza and Ces Ranillo showcased their passion for coffee while engaging the audience in an approachable and inspiring way. Not all Starbucks baristas are eligible to join the competition, they have to be with Starbucks for at least a year and have already undergone several training on brewing the perfect cup of coffee.

Angela Cole, operations director for Starbucks Philippines shares "This is one way to recognize our Global Coffee Masters who show unparalleled skill, knowledge and passion for coffee. This competition provides a chance for us to inspire them to develop their skills in the coffee industry.”

During the competition, they were given 20 minutes to present their knowledge on coffee through Pour Over Cone coffee tasting and demonstrating Rosetta and freestyle latte art. They were also given a chance to showcase their creativity as they prepare their signature beverage during the competition.

“Our partners understand that brewing coffee is both an art and science which involves hard work and dedication. We are very proud that they are doing their best not only to perfectly handcraft beverages but also to consistently deliver the Starbucks Experience to each and every customer in our stores,” said Cole.

The Champion, Rafael Miguel Bautista will be the country’s representative to the Starbucks Regional Barista Champion to be held in Taiwan on March27, 2017. and Ces Ranillo will be joining the champion in Taiwan as a bar support.

Catch Rafael Bautista in his store one of these days if you're in Starbucks Venice Grand Canal. Check out the video blog I did! :)

An executive from PayMaya sends #PayMayaLove as he hands roses and chocolates to commuters in the LRT 2 on Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s...

An executive from PayMaya sends #PayMayaLove as he hands roses and chocolatesto commuters in the LRT 2 on Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is one of the most anticipated holidays for couples all over the world. While it is indeed a beautiful day to celebrate your love for your other half, it is also a day dreaded by Filipino commuters as V-Day is expected to generate heavy traffic throughout the metro.

To help spread the love and ease a bit of the traffic-induced stress on this day of love, PayMaya Philippines, the digital financial services arm of PLDT and Smart's Voyager Innovations, offered a romantic treat to the busy commuters of the LRT 2.

The sound of the bustling train and the shuffling passengers were replaced by love songs fit for the special occasion. As commuters listen to the beautiful music rendered by the violinist, the dashing executives of PayMaya Philippines and Voyager Innovations surprised the passengers with long-stemmed roses.

“We know that commuting – especially on this day – can be a bit of a hassle. We’re happy to share some joy through this simple treat for our customers.” said Paolo Azzola, co-COO and Managing Director of PayMaya Philippines.

The executives also gave some lucky passengers their very own PayMaya card. PayMaya is a reloadable e-wallet that allows consumers to shop for the things they love – including clothes, books, food, and even a ticket to their dream destination – even without a credit card. A variant also doubles as a beep card, which definitely comes in handy for the everyday commuter.

PayMaya can be used online and offline. All they have to do is download the app, register, link the card, and load it up at the nearest 711 with Cliqq Kiosks, Ministop with Touchpay Kiosks, SM Business Centers, Robinson’s Department Stores, UnionBank ATMs, or Smart Padala Centers. They can also opt to load it up via BDO online banking.

“Similar to this Valentine’s surprise, our service, PayMaya, aims to offer a delightful experience to our users. Before, consumers have to apply for a credit card in order to shop or pay for the services they love online. And now, they can easily do all of these without having to go through the tiring and tedious process of getting a credit card,” shared Sharon Kayanan, Marketing and Brand Head, PayMaya Philippines.

PayMaya, which remains to be the no. 1 most downloaded Finance app on the Play Store - Philippines, can also be downloaded on the App Store for free. To start using the app, all the user has to do is register with any Philippine mobile number, fill out basic information, and load up the account using the registered mobile number. For Globe subscribers, users will get an instant virtual Visa card while for Smart, Sun, and TnT users, users will receive the Mastercard version. PayMaya works anywhere Visa or MasterCard is accepted. The physical cards can be purchased at https://paymaya.com/shop/, free of delivery charges nationwide.

PayMaya Philippines is the pioneer in mobile money and digital payments with established brands such as PayMaya, the first prepaid online payment app that enables the financially underserved to pay online without a credit card; PayMaya Business, the company’s system solutions provider that allows businesses to receive online and card payments anytime, anywhere; Smart Money, the world’s first e-wallet linked to a mobile phone; and Smart Padala, the leading mobile remittance network in the Philippines.

MANILA, PH - Love is literally in the air as M&M’s treat a lucky couple with a breath-taking helicopter ride to the scenic city of Ta...

MANILA, PH - Love is literally in the air as M&M’s treat a lucky couple with a breath-taking helicopter ride to the scenic city of Tagaytay to enjoy the most romantic date this Valentine’s.

Traditionally, men are the ones who shower women with flowers and chocolates but this year with the help of #MMsFunFirstMove project, Jessa Bernales was the one who surprised her husband with a bouquet of flowers and an epic helicopter ride to an unforgettable date in Tagaytay.

This romantic surprise will surely take them, and their love to different heights, just ask the chopper pilot!

A moment of confusion followed by the euphoria of realizing his wife’s surprise

Aside from our grand winner, nineteen other romantics surprise their loved ones with the help of M&M’s Red, Green and Yellow.

M&M’s Red and his boy band make the winners’ significant others swoon and blush with their ‘kilig’-infused songs and charming demeanor. M&M’s Yellow, on the other hand delivers a big surprise, with the perfect cuddle buddy that will always remind them of the feeling of being in love - a giant teddy bear! And to take it up a notch, M&M’s Green brings along a hot real-life cupid! The hottie with the arrows shower the winning couples with gifts and affection.

Congratulations to all the lucky winners of M&M’s Fun First Move Project. And don’t fret, you can still spoil your loved ones this Valentine’s day, show how sweet you are and gift them with M&M’s and your undying adoration.

Breakout actress Millie Bobby Brown or more popularly known as Eleven in the Netflix hit 80's themed series "Stranger Things&quo...

Breakout actress Millie Bobby Brown or more popularly known as Eleven in the Netflix hit 80's themed series "Stranger Things" explores classic film scenes that makes the Chuck Taylor iconic. Together with Converse, she debuts the Forever Chuck videos which celebrates the daring spirit of youth. The Forever Chuck campaign is a digital and social media series exploring the three main core that made Chuck Taylor iconic: Film and TV, LA culture and style and the world of Fashion.

Forevery Chuck video is directed by award-winning filmmaker Karim Huu Do, the Forever Chuck series kicks off with “Why Iconic Characters Wear Chucks” celebrating the types of unique characters that have made Chuck Taylor an iconic symbol on-screen.

Actress Millie Bobby Brown is the host of this episode, exploring why the coolest characters in film wear Chucks, and what Chucks say about the characters who wear them – meeting legendary stylist Stephanie Collie (whose credits include Peaky Blinders & various feature films) to get her expert opinion. Brown was most recently nominated for a People’s Choice Award and Screen Actors Guild Award on behalf of her performance in the critically acclaimed Netflix sensation "Stranger Things.

“The Chuck Taylor has remained a symbol for underdogs, rebels and teen heroes – the characters we love and identify most with - in films and television,” said Julien Cahn, Chief Marketing Officer at Converse. “By pairing some of the most memorable scenes of the past with rising stars of today, we celebrate Chuck Taylor’s legacy and pay homage to its place within youth culture - both on and off screen.”

All of the films within the Forever Chuck series will highlight the confident and daring spirit of youth, a spirit that has defined Chuck Taylor loyalists in the past, present and future. Check out the video below.

2. Share via Instagram a photo of anything related to music & Spotify (Get creative!) Upload it with your own caption sharing how you use Spotify or how Spotify helps your day or how it makes you feel. Basically, tell us why you LOVE Spotify. Feel free to also tag a friend!

3. Don't forget to use the hashtags #SpotifyPH#SpotifyMVPmyke #SPOTIFYxMYKESOON

* Joiners can submit as many entries as they want.
* 1 winner will be drawn every week. 5 winners total.
* Winners will be chosen randomly and will be announced every Sunday.
* Contest will end on March 19, 2017

I'm excited to see how you include Spotify in your day-to-day lives. Be sure to tag me and some of your friends to join in the giveaway, let's keep the conversation going. :)

‘Fess up, don’t most netizens cringe at the thought of taking selfies without a filter? Being able to take—and share—a #NoFilter selfie w...

‘Fess up, don’t most netizens cringe at the thought of taking selfies without a filter? Being able to take—and share—a #NoFilter selfie was something that remained elusive for most selfie lovers until top five premium global brand1 Vivo produced the perfect selfie phone—the Vivo V5 Plus. With its 20-megapixel dual front camera—the first in the world—taking selfies without filters is now possible.

Here, Vivo shares tips on how to capture the perfect #NoFilter selfie with the Vivo V5 Plus:

When it comes to lighting, Vivo V5 Plus is the way to go. Because of its big aperture lens, photos look beautiful in natural light. It also features a selfie soft light for taking beautiful selfies in any lighting condition—even at night. With Vivo V5 Plus, you no longer need to stand near an open window or a bright lamp just to get good lighting for your selfie.

• Groom your brows and tame your mane. When taking a #NoFilter selfie, a little effort goes a long way. You don’t want messy eyebrows or disheveled hair to stick out from your selfies so remember to groom your brows and style your hair. This will spell the difference between a good natural-looking selfie and a bad one.

• Find your angle. People have different “best” angles so it’s all about finding yours. Try this for a really flattering look: hold your phone up high and tilt your hair at a slight angle. This eliminates the dreaded double chin, makes your eyes look bigger and your face slimmer.

• Banish an unwanted background. Is there anything more annoying than eyesores in the background spoiling your fabulous selfie? Vivo V5 Plus banishes an unwanted background on the spot—with the bokeh effect. It beautifully blurs your background and keeps your #NoFilter face in focus.

• Exfoliate and moisturize. Got dry and rough-looking skin? Exfoliate and moisturize so your skin will look smooth and fresh in your selfie. Then use Vivo V5 Plus’ face beauty mode 6.0, which automatically enhances your skin tone and removes all blemishes, giving you that fresh, glowing look that is perfect for a #NoFilter selfie.

• Highlight your best features. Cute dimples? Sparkling eyes? Full lips? Showcase your best features in your #NoFilter selfie. You can even use your hands to show them off—for instance, put them near your lips, if that’s your best asset.

The Vivo V5 Plus is also the best phone for this job, as its 20-megapixel dual front camera is capable of capturing your best features for your selfie.

• Be confident, and smile. A smile is every person’s best accessory. If you’re feeling a tad self-conscious about your less-than-perfect teeth, try a sweet and mysterious closed smile. Remember that confidence is sexy, and feeling good always makes you look good.

When in doubt, let the Vivo V5 Plus’ dual front camera help you make your selfie as perfect as you want it to be. With the Vivo V5 Plus, you can take perfect #NoFilter selfies anytime, anywhere.

For inquiries about Vivo V5 Plus, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph, or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VivoPhil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivophil/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivophil) accounts. #

Essential oils have been sourced for thousands of years. They are full of benefits , used for everything from home-made cleaners to beaut...

Essential oils have been sourced for thousands of years. They are full of benefits, used for everything from home-made cleaners to beauty remedies, so it’s no wonder they are still as popular as ever. CO₂ (carbon dioxide) extraction is becoming increasingly popular with companies when extracting essential oils. From aroma therapists to pharmacists - CO₂ extraction is a great way for making the most of essential oils. But what is CO₂ extraction and why should you be using it?

What is CO₂ Extraction?

CO₂ is an atmospheric gas humans and plants breathe every day, and it is the gas that plants thrive on. CO₂ extraction is a process used to extract essential oils from plant material. If enough pressure is applied to CO₂, the gas will convert into a liquid state. The liquid CO₂ can then be used as “liquid solvent”. As the CO₂ functions like a solvent, it will pull the essential oils from the plant material. The difference between CO₂ extraction and steam extraction is simply that CO₂ is used as the solvent instead of steam. The temperature difference varies greatly between the two with CO₂ extraction usually taking place in temperatures of 95-100 °F (degrees Fahrenheit) whilst steam extraction can take place in temperatures up to 212 °F.

Uses

Typically, essential oil extracts are used for beauty products such as skin care products, bath salts and even everyday cosmetic products like lipstick. Essential oils can also be used in a lot of pharmaceutical products for those looking for an organic medicine rather than a drug based medicine. Essential oils are also being used for food and beverages. Companies such as Extractz use CO2 extraction to produce orange oil extract that can be used to flavor cocktails or sweets.

Benefits of CO₂ extraction

There are many benefits of using CO₂ extraction, one being the process is clean therefore it can be certified as organic. With consumers increasingly looking for organic products on the market, using CO₂ extraction is a way of ensuring your merchandise is as organic as possible. The CO₂ extraction process also uses a lot less heat than the steam process, meaning those plants and oils that cannot reach such high temperatures can still be extracted. It is also environmentally friendly - CO₂ used in the extraction process can be recycled and used again for the next process. The CO₂ used in extraction also doesn’t contribute to the atmospheric CO₂ levels. Lastly, using CO₂ extraction is proven to be more efficient. Although it might seem costlier to extract using CO₂, the process allows for extra essential oils to be derived from the plant material.

As you can see, CO₂ extraction can be beneficial for both the manufacturer and the customer. There are many things to know when using CO₂ to extract essential oils from knowing how to handle CO₂ canisters, to knowing what temperature and pressure ranges should be used in order to extract the essential oils appropriately. If done correctly, CO₂ extraction is by far the best choice when working essential oils.

MANILA, Philippines – New year, new you? Why not try a new and exciting chicken meal, too? Give your taste buds something different to cr...

MANILA, Philippines – New year, new you? Why not try a new and exciting chicken meal, too? Give your taste buds something different to crave with the new KFC Extra Crispy chicken!

Made finger lickin’ good, KFC’s Extra Crispy chicken is double breaded by expert hands and fried to crispy golden-brown perfection. Every bite into this delicious, non-spicy offering is sure to be juicy and packed with extra crunch, that you just might want to consider getting extra rice, too.

You can enjoy the KFC Extra Crispy chicken in any KFC meal of your choice, but the winning combo is KFC Extra Crispy chicken with rice, regular drink, creamy junior mushroom soup, and KFC’s signature gravy all for just *P99. Also available for a limited time only is the Bucket of Fortune priced at P620.

Visit your nearest KFC branch now and start the year with something so good, something extra crispy like the new KFC Extra Crispy chicken! You may also dial KFC Delivery at 887-8888 (for Metro Manila only) or visit www.kfcdelivery.com.ph

On the 7th of February, 7pm, watch our new Axe Girl Lovi Poe fulfill her first role as part of the Axe family as she announces the winner...

On the 7th of February, 7pm, watch our new Axe Girl Lovi Poe fulfill her first role as part of the Axe family as she announces the winner of the Axe Black Concept Stores in a special BNO segment. Catch it on the Axe Philippines Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/axephilippines/

Make Valentine’s Day extra special with Villa Del Conte’s Amore chocolate gift box. There’s nothing sweeter than saying “I love you” with a box of chocolates. Villa Del Conte, the hand crafted artisanal chocolates from Padova, Italy celebrates Valentine’s with the Amore chocolate gift box which comes in an elegant red box with a gold heart. The Amore chocolate gift box contains 200 grams of either Villa Del Conte’s decadent Praline Balls or the healthy goodness of the Bonta Dark Chocolates to make your Valentine’s Day sweeter and even more romantic.

The Amore chocolate gift box is priced at P880 and is available at all Villa Del Conte stores in Greenbelt 5, Century City Mall, Shangri-la Mall, Resorts World, Alabang Town Center, SM Megamall, and Robinsons Magnolia.

Meaningful conversations over coffee, probably one of the best ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day Meaningful con...

Meaningful conversations over coffee, probably one
of the best ways to

celebrate Valentine’s Day

Meaningful conversations over coffee, probably one of the best ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day

It often starts with “What do you do?”, “Kamusta weekend mo?” or “Kamusta traffic sa area mo?” Then, eventually, this small talk turns into conversations revolving around families, hobbies and passions. And, in those moments where two people do nothing but simply talk about their lives and open up their souls to one another, good things happen.

This is true for the two couples who started their relationship with a good conversation over Starbucks coffee. Alvin and Deborah first met at Starbucks, while study buddies Luis and Jet got to know each other better after a Starbucks coffee seminar.

In 2013, Alvin invited Deborah to meet up at Starbucks i2 Point in Cebu after being introduced to each other through Facebook by a common friend. They talked for the first time over Java Chip Frappuccino®, Caramel Frappuccino® and a Cinnamon Roll. In less than a month, they made their relationship official.

After three years, Alvin, a self-proclaimed poet, proposed to her through a 14-stanza poem. “I gave her one stanza of the poem every month during our coffee dates at Starbucks. It started on September 25, 2013, and went on for a year. After that, I never wrote her a poem again. I decided to fulfill my plan to propose to her last March 25, 2015 and created photo slides of us with each stanza of the poem in it, but now with the culminating stanza asking her to be my wife,” Alvin shared.

Last year, they had their prenuptial photoshoot at the Starbucks store where they first met. They are now married for eight months and expecting their first born very soon.

Meanwhile, Luis and Jet’s story is a bit different. They were part of a study group that regularly met at Starbucks to review for the board exams. One Sunday after the exams, the two met again at Starbucks just to read books and spend alone time together, until a barista invited them to join a coffee seminar.

They obliged and had a wonderful coffee experience by discovering the different growing regions and types of coffee. After the seminar, they got to know each other on a more personal level as they were able to talk more comfortably. “That same day, I came to know that he loves to go to the movies and dreams about being Batman. He also allowed me to share a laugh with him about his funny childhood antics, which I still laugh about to this very moment. The coffee experience loosens up people and makes them more comfortable, and I think this is why the term ‘COCOL’ (Coffee-Coffee Lang) also became popular,” Jet shared. They agreed to attend the following week’s coffee seminar, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now about to get married, they still remember that first time they had a good conversation and the friendly faces of the baristas who invited them to the coffee seminar.

These, and more, happened at a place where people meet to bond and enjoy each other’s company. Starbucks, from the very start, has strived to be the third place between home and work – where one can form and keep meaningful relationships.

And, in the spirit of encouraging meaningful connections over good coffee, Starbucks invites everyone to its “Meet Me At Starbucks for a Date Night” event on February 14, 6-8PM at EVIA Daang Hari in Las Piñas and The Venice Grand Canal in Taguig, and 7-9PM at Axis Entertainment Center in Cebu and E- Lopez in Quezon City. Live musical performances, food and beverage samples, and special treats await you during the event.

Celebrate love over a cup of your favorite handcrafted beverages and share your photos and stories at www.meetmeatstarbucks.ph – because good things happen when you get together.

All roads lead to the Hard Rock Cafe for the Finals where 10 song entries from different colleges and universities were performed live an...

All roads lead to the Hard Rock Cafe for the Finals where 10 song entries from different colleges and universities were performed live and judged for the Pioneer Insurance #MoveOnLang Songwriting Competition.

The Finals night was the culmination of the three month long campus caravan Pioneer Insurance did for the #MoveOnLang Songwriting Competition. This led to a total of 150 song entries all over the country and now trimmed down to 10 via preliminary judging conducted by FILSCAP.

The Grand Winner of the Pioneer Insurance #MoveOnLang Songwriting Competition was Yosef Escoto of San Beda College Alabang with the song "Invincible" taking home 100,000 while the first and second runners-up Benjamin Quijano or University of the Philippines Los Banos with the song "Aking Mundo" and Kenneth Roquid of University of the Philippines Diliman for the song "Alive" who took home Php 50,000 and Php 30,000 respectively. Aside from the cash prize, all of the ten finalists also received Php 100,000 worth of insurance coverage from Pioneer. Remaining seven finalists will not go home empty handed as they will be taking home Php 10,000 each. They also awarded Julia Dichoso's song "Hand in Hand" which received 44.96% of online votes and was crowned as online favorite winning Php 10,000.

Personally I liked "Make it Through" by Luigi Balazo because of the catchy beat and the song's message and also the winning song "Invincible" by Yosef just because of the whole composition, the violin accompaniment and the whole message of the song. After the 10 finalists performed, Pioneer also gave a Special Recognition Award to Drei Chua of San Beda College Alabang for his song entry "Bangon" which is an exceptional composition the perfectly describes Pioneer's promise to its clients. Listen to the songs here.

The judges during the final night were Nonoy Tan - FILSCAP Chariman, Lorenzo Chan Jr. - Pioneer Life Inc. President, Joy Mesina - One Music PH Editor-In-Chief, Noel Cabangon - FILSCAP Trustee and Rico Blanco - FILSCAP President. Pioneer launched the #MoveOnLang Songwriting Competition in partnership with FILSCAP and One Music PH to encourage the youth to pursue artistic endeavors and to celebrate the Filipino trait of resiliency. Applicants were challenged to write a song expressing their take on resiliency in 3 minutes or less.